The higher pitched F is standard and is used by quite a few players in many different genres. Both high and low F's have very different qualities and need some woodshedding time to get used to them, making whatever subtle adjustments necessary in your playing to get the most out of them.
The higher pitched F's I prefer to use a more guitar like attack when using them in a blues situation, but the low F's allow for a more horn like attack for me. I have both. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
low F is good for 3rd pos. (G) whereas i find the higher pitched in 3rd pos. too shrill. i love both harps but for different applications. the high one is great for sonnyboyII workouts, like the arhoolie recordings by chris stratchwitz.
Do you like playing your G harp and do you play it well? Can you get all the Draw 1, 2 and 3 hole bends on your G? Low tuned harps do require different technique. If you are not comfortable and proficient on your G, you shouldn't get a tenor F at this point.
If you are only going to have one harp in the key of F the standard F is probably the one to get. But if you really like playing low tuned harps (like G) and can do it well, you should have no problem with a Low F.
Personally, i don't choose to play anything lower than a standard G, so i don't carry a low F. Although I am able to do it, i don't enjoy having to collapse a lung to get the lower hole bends. Other players, like BBQ Bob, like playing the tenor tunings for certain applications.
Last Edited by on Apr 18, 2010 12:45 PM
I'd expand on what hvyj said and say if you have a higher harp (anything above a C) and a lower harp like a G compare and decide which style you like better and use that to make up your mind. I don't have a low F, but I have a low low F. I like all my harps from D down, and am not as fond of the harps above that. Of course, there are some cheap sets you can get (Piedmont, Johnson, Merano, Blues Band) that would give you a bunch or even all the keys. From there you can replace them with better harps as you need them. I have Piedmont's. For about $25 I got the 7 most common keys. They aren't super harps but they work. The plastic covers taste bad but that fades after the first couple hours of use and they won't cut your lips up. Eventually you'll want to phase them out, but as long as you have a couple good harps it's not a bad way to get emergency keys. They also come with a 7 harp carrying case that's probably worth the cost by itself.
I had to play a lot with a guitar player who really liked the key of C. I got tired of the normal high F very quickly. I added a Low F to the arsenal and also played more and more in 1st and 3rd. I've often been told when I play the low F that it sounds like a sax. ---------- /Greg
I agree with BBQ Bob in that LOW F has a definite horn like quality. As others have said, it is also great for some chuggin action... May take a little getting used to...
Here is a link to my MYSPACE - check out the tune BOOGEY FOOL - I recorded on my last CD... LOW F HARP!
To bring it to life in (a simple example) another song sample. I have a short, uncomplicated Low F solo on the third song: "Temptation" in my embedded myspace site below: Bb in 3rd position comping throughout with a Low F solo (vocal-guitar solo-vocal-Low F solo). d ---------- Myspace: dennis moriarty
My Golden Melodys go from G to Gb and I too wanted to try a low F. I bought the Suzuki Promaster and just love it. I love playing it in 3rd position on a song like Stormy Monday.
F is the only key I would advise having both harps in.
I also bought a high "G" Bushman Delta Frost that plays really well. Can't see using it much to gig. It sounds really cool playing Yankee Doodle in 1st position in the top ocatave...almost like a piccolo.
I have the high G, and use it occasionally. Back in the mid to late 90s when i was in cover bands, it was the key Blues Traveler's 'Runaround' was played on. It's too high for my taste and low G is too low for my taste. ---------- Todd L Greene. V.P.
I use the hi F quite a lot and seldom use the low F. The low F dosen't cut thru the mix nearly as well as the standard F. Songs we do where I use the std. F harp New Orleans Ladys Mustang Sally Every rose has it's thorn. Rentless I also use a hi G as mentioned previously on Dead or Alive Hands to your self Proud Mary Get the reg. harp then the lower one 2nd My 2 cents, Mike
Tood, once you get a Low F and get used to using it for horn parts, you"ll rarely ever want to use the high F again. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
todd, you can turn a G into an F but it's a lot of work. 20 reeds moved one whole step. i turned and F into an F# as an experiment- and though it worked, it's waaaaay too much trouble.
I agree that the low F gives a nice horn-like sound and a standard F can often seem too shrill--after getting a low F (Lee Oskar) I wanted to use it for everything, but have come back around to using the standard F more, many songs just demand it and it cuts through the mix better. I'd go with that first. However, there's definitely a place for the low F--I find mine is more versatile if I run it through my Lone Wolf Harp Octave (1 octave up) with the effect turned up a bit (11-12 o'clock, vs 8-9 with most other harps.
I use a Low F# instead of F#, but almost never play it. I use F frequently, but I also keep a Low F handy for positions other than 2nd. I have a Low Eb that is several years old and stock. It needs work, but I am planning on adding a version of 9 below 0 to the set list this summer.
I often use my Micro Pog when soloing on an F harp. In fact, these are the only tunes I do with an F harp straight up. On the slow blues, third position doesn't work really well. I've thought of playing 12th, but haven't spent much time doing so. I am so-so with the amped solo on that clip, but the acoustic part is ight.
